Compression gauge



O. L. SCALBOM COMPRESSION ewes Filed may 31 1925 imlmlmm 2 5/ i r mumm 1 435%,; mum.

I Fizz/672707 Patented Get. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES OSCARL. SCALBOM, OF GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS.

COMPRESSION GAUGE.

Application filed. May 31, 1923. Serial No. 642,440.

T (ZZZ whom it may concern:

.a citizen of the United States, residing at Glenview, in the county of Cook and State of Iliinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compression Gauges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in compression gauges, particularly adapted for dentists use, though not necessarily lim- 1' ted in its use for such purposes.

hen teeth or a plate are placed in the mouth it is necessary to determine the bite or compression of the jaws to ascertain if the teeth or plate are properly set or positioned. Heretofore this has been determined by means of the use of a block of rubber or some other resilient composition upon which the patient bites, the depth of the impression in the block indicating the force or power of the bite. This method has proved to be unsatisfactory for the reason that the conclusions thus arrived at are only speculative and are not accurate and the setting of the teeth is done more or less by guess work.

It is one of the. objects of the present invention to overcome these difliculties and objections and to provide an improved compression gauge for indicating accurately the exact power or pressure of the bite and which gauge includes an indicator adapted to be automatically set during the biting operation, the indicator remaining in a set position after the instrument has been removed from the mouth. v.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this character which is adapted to be set for varying pressures.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this character which. will be simple, durable, compact and of a sanitary construction, and which will be eifective and efficient in operation.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of oneface of an instrmnent of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, showing some of the parts in full lines in one position and in dotted lines in another position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a. view similar to Figure 1 of the opposite side of the instrument, showing the par-ts in full lines in one position and in dot-ted lines in another position.

v Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 44, Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5-5, Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective View of one of the members showing a portion of the pivot construction.

Referring more particularly to the draw ingthe numerals 10 and 11 designate two members or levers which are pivotally connected intermediate their ends. The pivot of the members is formed by recessing the upper faces of the members respectively as at 12 and 13 and also recessing the lower faces of the members respectively as at 14 and 15. The members 10 and 11 are pro vi'ded with semicireular openings 1617 therethrough which co -operate to form an opening adapted to receive the shanks ]819 of two connecting members. The head 20 of one of the members is provided with a circumferential flange 21 on its lower face adapted to enter the recesses 12 and 13 of the member 10' when the shank 18 thereof is seated within the opening between the members. The shank 19 is provided with a similar head 22 having a. flange 23 projecting below the lower face thereof and which latter flange is adapted to enter the recesses l4-15 in. the members 10-11 when the shank 19 is seated within the opening between the members 10 and 11. It will thus be seen that the members 10 and 11 will be held together by means of the interlocking parts formed by the flanges and recesses and the shanks 1819 are preferably of a length so that they will abut between the members 10 and 11. A fastening screw or bolt 24 is provided for securing the pivot members together. With this arrangement the stress of the members 10 and 11 about their pivots will be exerted upon the shanks 18 and 19 while the screw or bolt 24 will be protected against any. strain, and at the same time by removing the screw or bolt 24 the members may be disconnected.

The free extremities of the members 10 and 11 are preferably provided with blocks or portions 2 5-26 constructed of any suit able material preferably of fiber, Which are adapted to be inserted in the mouth to be engaged by the teeth. The pivot between the .berslO 11.

members is preferably located adjacentthe extremities 27-28 of the members and 11, and the proximate faces of the members-l0 and 11, andwvhich members are arranged in the same plane, are so constructed as to permit themembers 10 and 11 to be freely rocked about their pivot.

Slidingloosely upon the outer edge of the member-10 is a block or member 29, and a similar block or member-3O slides loosely upon the outer edge of the member 11. A substantially U shaped spring 31 arches over theends 2728 of the memberslO and 11 and the extremities of this spring 31 are pivotally connected respectively to the members 29 and 30 in any desired or suitable manner, preferably by means of bolts or scre\vs -32 -33, preferably having reduced or pointed extremities 34 35 Which are seated in bearings 36-197 in the respective members 29-30,: thereby permitting the spring member ;31 to .be rocked about .the bearings formed by the extremities ofthe screws or bolts 32 33, and as, indicated in dotted lines in Figurel.

The members 29 and 30 are preferably grooved upon the memberslt) and 11 to hold them against displacement with respect thereto and are adapted toibevfreely. moved lengthwise of the respective memb0rs,.the extent of movement of the member 29 in one directionbeing limited by means of a suitable stop 38, while. its extentofmovement in the opposite direction is limited by means of a stop 39. Similarly, the extent of. moveniient of the member v3O is limited in one direction bymeans of a stop 4:0 and in the opposite direction by means ofa stop 41. By connecting. the spring .31 with the members lOf rnd 11 .1nthemannerivhich is described ill be manifest that by adjustingthe members or slides 29-30avithrespect to the pivotbetweenthe memberslO andll, the fulcrum ivill be changed, that is. the. extent of the stressof the spring 3l upon the. ends of; the. members lOandll ill bevaried according. to the distance that the points 84 and are. moved toward, or aivayfrom the bivotpoint between themembers 10 and 11. Thus, if the points 34..anc 35 are located in close vproximity to the .pivot between the niember sflo and 11 Land just to one a side tliereof,.lessfpower and pressure upon the members25and. 26 ,Will be required to. move themembers 1-0 and 11 the. full extent about their pivots than vvouldbe required. to move the members 10. and llabout. their pivots if the pivot points 54 .and .35 are moved a greater distancekfrdm the...pivot. ofithe members l0fand'llf In other words the extent of pressure necessary to move the members 10 and 11 to the full extent about their pivots will be governed by the position of the points 3t and 35Wi th respect-'to'the pivot of the mem- In order to facilitate the adjustment of the. inembers29 and .80 upon the members 10 and ll the points 34 and 35 are constructed as pivots so as to permit the members 29-30 to be moved along the respective members 1 0 andll, one in advance of. the other, that is they maybe jwalked along the members l0 and 11 by rocking the member 31 rithrespect to the members 10 and 11 .and at the same time moving the members 29 and 30 longitudinally of the respective members 10 and 11.

A gauge plate l2 may .be secured to one of themembe-rslO and 11 and. which plate is provided witlrgraduations or indications 5'13 to designate the number of poundspressure. W'ith these graduations 43 the end 4A of the member,29co-operates and by positioning the end l-nvith respect to any one of the gradnations 43, the instrumentinay beset for .tl1e desired amount of pressure and \vhiclrlatteiyniay be indicated bymeans of suitable characters, 45. This plate .42 is airran g ed on oneface of themembers 10 and 11V and on the opposite face is arranged an indicator plate 46, having graduations 47 thereon and with which latter, graduations, a printer or index 418 .coo1: erates. This pointer is pivotally mounted as at 19 and is adapted to be moved about its pivot by ineansof a member 50, which is preferably of ,a liook shapemf ormation. The indicator .8 isrse cnred .to one ofithemembers 10i1 ivhilethe member 50 is secured by means of suitable. fastening devicesbl to theother of the members 10. and .l1,..so that .When the members 1O..and 11 areroclred about their pivotagainst thestress of the, spring 31,. the hook shaped member will cause the pointer or, index .48. tomove across. the. graduations 4 7 of the plate 16 to the position shown in Figurefi. Yi lien,.ho\vever, the stress of pressure is released fromthetmembers 10 and 11,.the. spring 31 .\vill cause the. members 10 and 11 to. move abouttheir pivotsfrom the fullline position shovvn in Figure 3 tothe dotted line position shown. in the said figure. During this latter movement the hook shaped member 50. will. move, out, of engagement with the index or pointer .48, which wilhalloyv. the latter to stand. in itsfladjusted position, thereby enabling the operator to readilyascertain, after theinstrnment has beenrem ovedfrom the mouth of the patient, tojnstsvhat extent the memberslO and 11 have been rocked about their pivot by the pressure of the patients teeth thereupon.

The implement may then: be reset for reuse by'simply' moving the index 48 about its pivot to its starting point and if it is desired to increase the pressure necessary to operate the members and 11, this may be accomplished by sliding the members 29-30 along the members 10 and 11, so as to move the end 44 of the member 29 adjacent the graduation 43 indicating the amount of pres sure to which it is desired to set the implement.

l/Vhile the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

lVhatis claimed as new is 1. A compression gauge including two lever like members pivotally connected in proximity to one end, bearing'members adjustably mounted upon said members, resilient means connecting the said bearing members, the points of connection of said resilient means being movable with said members towards and away from the pivot of the first recited members, the opposite ends of the lever like members being movable towards each other against the stress of the said resilient means, and means for indicating the extent of pivotal movement of the last recited members against the force of said resilient means.

2. A compression gauge including two lever like members pivotally connected, bearing members slidably mounted upon the first recited members, a spring member connected with the said bearing members and arching over the first recited members, the said lever like members being adapted to be rocked about their pivot against the stress of the said spring member by pressure exerted at one end of the lever like members, and means for indicating the extent of pivotal move ment of the first recited members against the force of said sprin 3. A compression gauge including two lever like members pivotally connected, bearing members slidably mounted upon the first recited members, a spring member connected with the said bearing members and arching over the first recited members, the said lever like members being adapted to be rocked about their pivot against the stress of the said spring member by pressure exerted at one end of the lever like members, means for indicating the extent of pivotal movement of the first recited members in one direction, and indicating means with which one of the said bearing members co-operates to determine the extent of adjustment of the latter.

4. A compression gauge including two lever like members pivotally connected, means tending normally to move the members in one direction about their pivot to separate the members at one end and against the stress of which means the members may be rocked about their pivot when pressure is exerted upon the said separated ends, means for indicating the extent of pressure exerted upon the'last recited ends of the members, and means whereby the point of stress of the first recited means upon the said members may be varied at will with relation to pivot of the said members.

5. A compression gauge including two lever like members pivotally connected, means tending normally to move the members in one direction about their pivot to separate the members at one end and against the stress of which means the members may be rocked about their pivot when pressure is exerted upon the said separated ends, means for indicating the extent of pressure exerted upon the last recited ends of the members, means whereby the point of stress of the first recited means upon the said members may be varied at will with relation to the pivot of the said members, and indicating means co-operating with the third recited means for determining the extent of adjustment of the latter.

6. A. compression gauge including two lever like members pivotally connected, bearings slidably mounted upon the said members, a resilient member, means pivotally connecting the ends of the resilient member with the said bearings for rocking movement with respect thereto, said resilient member tending normally to separate the members at one end and against the stress of which resilient member the first said members may be rocked when pressure is exerted upon the separated ends of the members, and an indicator responsive in its operation to the rocking ot the first said members to indicate the extent oi such rocl ing movement.

7. A compression gauge including two lever like members pivotally connected, bearings slidably mounted upon the said menu bers, a resilient member, means pivotally connecting the ends of the resilient member with the said bearings for rocking movement with respect thereto, said resilient member tending normally to separate the members at one end and against the stress of which resilient member the first said members may be rocked when pressure is exerted upon the separated ends of the members, and an indicator responsive in its operation to the rocking of the first said members to indicate the extent of such rocking movement, the said indicator including an element adapted to remain in its set position when the stress upon the last said ends of the first said member is relieved.

8. A compression gauge including two lever like members pivotally connected, bear ings slidably mounted upon the said members, an indicating gauge -1"'or-determining the extent of adjustment of the said bearings upon the said members, a resilient member, means pivotally connecting the ends of the resilient member withthe said bearings for rocking movement with respect thereto, said resilient member tending normally to separate the members at one end and against the stress of which resilient member the first said members may be rocked when pressure is exerted upon the separated ends of the members,,and an indicator responsive in its operation to the rocking of the first said members to indicate the extent of such rocking movement.

9. A. compression gauge including two leverlilre members pivotally connected, bearings slidably mountednpon the said members, a resilient member, means pivotally connecting the ends of the resilient member with the said bearings for rocking movement with respect'thereto, whereby the said bearings, while the resilient member is connected therewith, may be adjusted upon the first said member one in advance of the other and with respect to the pivot of the first said members, said resilient member tending normally to-separate the members at one end and against the stress of which resilient member the first said members may be rocked when-pressure is exerted upon the separated ends of themembers, and an indicatorresponsive in its operation to the rocking of the first said members to indicate the extent of such rocking movement.

10. A compression gauge including two lever like members pivotally connected, bearings slidably mounted upon the said members, a resilient member, means pivotally connecting the ends of the resilient member with the said bearings for rocking movement with respect thereto, said resilient member tending normally to separate the members at one end and against the stress of which resilient member the first said members may be rocked when pressure is exerted upon the separated ends of the members, an indicator responsive in its operationto the rocking of the first said member to indicate theextent of such rocking-movement, and stops for limiting the extent of adjustment of the bearings-upon the first said members.

11. A compression gauge including two lever like members pivotally connected, means tending normally to move the members in one direction about their pivot to separate the members at one end and against the stress of which means the members may be rocked about their pivot when pressure is exerted upon the said separated ends, means for indicating the extent of pressure exerted upon the last recited ends oft he members, and meanswherebythe. point of stress the first recited means upon. the said members may be varied; at will with respect to the pivot of the saidmembers, the last recited means including members mounted-for adjustment towards and away from the pivot of the saidmembers and stops-tor'limiting the extent of adjustment of the. second recited member.

12. A compression gauge including two members movable toward and away from each other one withrelation to-the other,

means tending normally to separate the members and against the stress of which means the members may bermoved'by pressure toward each. .otlieiy neansfor indicating the extent of pressure, exerted upon the last recited means, and means whereby: the point of stress of the first recited means upon the said members. may bevaried at will to increase ordecrease the amount of pressure necessary tomove the members toward each other.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this. Qitll day. of May, A. ,D. 1923.

OSCAR L. SOALBOM. 

